# What is PIIA Agreement? Definition & Technical Mechanics

> **Source:** [SPIDITS AI Startup & Venture Intelligence Glossary](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary)  
> **Category:** Legal  
> **Canonical Citation:** [https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/piia-agreement](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/piia-agreement)

## Definition
A Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (PIIA) is a legal document signed by founders, employees, and contractors that automatically assigns all intellectual property (IP) created during employment to the company.

## Architectural Mechanics & Deep Dive
A Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement (PIIA) is a legal document signed by founders, employees, and contractors that automatically assigns all intellectual property (IP) created during employment to the company.

## Industry Applications & Real-World Use Cases
Securing company IP defensibility before institutional due diligence

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why is a signed PIIA required for venture capital due diligence?
Investors require PIIAs to verify that the startup owns 100% of its codebase, patents, and trade secrets free of claims from former employers or contractors.

### What should be listed in the prior inventions schedule of a PIIA?
Founders and employees must list any IP or side projects created prior to joining the company to explicitly exclude them from automatic company assignment.

## Related Terminology
- [delaware-c-corp](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/delaware-c-corp)
- [cap-table](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/cap-table)
- [safe-agreement](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary/safe-agreement)

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*From the SPIDITS AI Knowledge Base (311+ terms indexed). Explore full technical definitions: [https://spidits.com/startup-glossary](https://spidits.com/startup-glossary)*